24 April 2016 – Open to God

Loving God, like these shiny tulips we want to be open to you.
The warm sunshine encourages their petals to spread wide
Attracting bees and insects to pollinate
For reproduction.

On sunshiny days
Our hearts open
With songs of gladness and praise.
On sunshiny days
We welcome others
With delight and smiles of pleasure.

As the light slips away
The tulip petals close
Protecting the heart of the flower.

For us
Days of sadness, of darkness,
May close our hearts too.
We may withdraw into ourselves
Shutting out the pain and hurt
Closing up

But we are not tulips
We are people deeply loved by You
Warmed by you,
And
On the darkest days
You reach within our coldness
Our sadness and hurt
To the very depths of our being
And you wait.

Slowly our hearts open
To others;
Slowly the warmth of your eternal and internal love
Eases us open;
We turn with renewed joy
To your Love and Grace.

As we reflect on that first Easter
We see how gently you teased open
The hearts of your friends,
Helping them to respond
To the New Truths
The New promise
The New Hope
That Resurrection brings.
Lead us, too, into that openness.
Amen. Hazel Parsons